The Tribunal will consist 20 members, 10 from the judiciary and 10 experts from the field of environment and related sciences.

Former Supreme Court judge Lokeshwar Singh Panta took the charge as the Chairperson of the NGT, which will start with four regional benches.

The Tribunal was established by the National Green Tribunal Act passed by Indian Parliament in 2010. With the establishment of Tribunal all the case related to the national environment will be looked by the new body and even all the pending cases will be transferred to the NGT

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said, "NGT is the first body of its kind that is required by its parent statute to apply the polluter pays sustainable development and for the damage inflicted."

"Anybody can approach the NGT to claim civil damages arising out of inadequate implementation of environment laws," he added.